1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to systems, methods, and computer program products that facilitate communications between mobile consumer devices and consumer medical devices and/or other third party systems. Some of the communications are operable to update the consumer medical devices, to initiate functionality at the medical devices and/or to gather data from the consumer medical devices.
2. The Relevant Technology
Modern technology has produced many consumer medical devices that can enhance and extend human life. This technology has advanced from simple consumer medical devices such as ear horns and wooden peg legs to far more complex devices such as cochlear implants and robotic prosthetic limbs. Such devices can significantly improve the quality of a user's life and, in some instances, increase the user's ability to contribute to society and enjoy a rewarding life.
Many of the advances within the medical industry have resulted from the application of electronic technologies. Unfortunately, these advances are often offset by the cost and inconveniences associated with having to monitor, calibrate, and update the electronics that are embedded within the medical devices.
Oftentimes, the user will be unaware of the need to calibrate or update the device which may lead to a broad range of medical consequences. For example, a hearing aid needing calibration can result in annoying feedback or a loss of hearing. A pacemaker needing calibration can result in far more serious consequences, such as heart attack or death.
Sometimes a user will be suspicious as to the operable condition of a medical device, so they will schedule an appointment with a specialist to test the device. Whether the medical device is working properly or not, the test will often represent wasted resources. In particular, the user's time spent during the test could have been applied to other activities, such as productive work, and the doctor's time could have been spent treating someone with a real medical condition (which could also be more profitable). If the test confirms that the user's device is malfunctioning, the benefit of the test can sometimes outweigh the costs and inconveniences. But, if the device is functioning properly, the test will result in little to no benefit. In some instances, the costs and inconveniences of performing a test can deter a user from testing a device when it should be tested.
In recent years users have made attempts to analyze consumer medical devices using information from the Internet. For instance, a user can type the name and/or model number of the device into a search engine and a vast array of information is presented to the user for the user's consumption. This information may include user manuals, schematics, answers to commonly asked questions and other related information. No existing systems are provided, however, for testing and analyzing a user's individual medical device, such as a hearing aid, through the Internet.
Accordingly, there remains some room for further development in the field of communication with consumer medical devices.